


You're my riddle

by Windfighter



Series: Iron Man-bingo card 17 [13]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Helpful Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-24 00:04:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20349049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Windfighter/pseuds/Windfighter
Summary: Tony Stark understands people. Sometimes they're hard to get along with, but he knows how they want him to act and acts accordingly. It's easy. It doesn't always make him friends, but it's harder to be hurt when they only see the mask he wears around them.Steve Rogers hates all of his masks. He hates him without his masks. Steve Rogers hates him and Tony just wants to know why.





	You're my riddle

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Iron Man-bingo and the square "Steve Rogers"
> 
> My first plan was to write something shippy but... this happened instead ops.

Steve Rogers was an enigma, a riddle Tony Stark couldn't wait to figure out. Usually he could read people, could figure out how to interact with them, what part of him they wanted to see. Most people wanted to see his public persona, the playboy, the sass. Rhodey and Pepper prefered the persona he wore behind closed door, the gentle and friendly one. Obediah and the stock holders wanted to see the genius, the one always in motion, the one always thinking of the next big invention. Howard wanted to see the quiet genius, the one following directions. Maria wanted to see the curious genius, the one who picked the world apart and learned how to play piano just by watching her. Clint wanted to see the friendly bantering persona and Tony had no problem falling into that. Bruce wanted a fellow scientist and Tony loved playing that part. Thor wanted someone to share stories with, someone to drink and laugh with. Also no problem for Tony. Natasha was a little harder to read, but he learned. She wanted to see him stripped bare of his layers, wanted to see who he really was behind all of his masks. He let her, but only in the dark of the night when the two of them sat alone on his floor with a bottle of vodka between them.

It was easy to juggle between them, easy to satisfy them. Steve was harder. Tony couldn't read Steve. Whichever persona he attempted in front of Steve it ended in a shouting match. Sometimes Steve would compare him to Howard, but never in a good way.

After their first meeting Tony had thought Steve wanted to see him act like the hero. He woke up after the wormhole, staring in to Steve's face and realized it had been wrong.

”Please tell me no one kissed me.”

Steve was relieved, didn't quite approve of the joke, but they didn't argue. Tony kept to his joking persona around Steve, it seemed to be the safest. Safest didn't last for long once they all started living together and Tony and Steve fought at least three times each week. The playboy and the sass was also hated by Steve because it was distasteful, a disgrace to his proud heritage. The curious genius was too loud, the quiet genius not loud enough.

Their dance kept going, Tony kept trying to figure out how to act. He got closer to the others, called them friends, family. Steve, he couldn't place. They trusted each other, but only on the battle field. Outside of it they bumped heads together constantly. Occassionally they'd watch a movie together and Tony quickly learned that there was a limit to how much he was allowed to talk during it.

It clicked one day when he was just observing from a corner. He had a smoothie in his hand, watched as Steve walked around in the kitchen and tried to interact with the others. His interactions were stiff, his back was straight, his gaze was hard. The Captain America-gaze. Tony walked closer, listened. That was the Captain America-voice. He noticed how the others backed away before it turned into an argument, better at stopping themselves than he was. Tony walked even closer, his steps silent. Steve jumped when he turned around and was suddenly face to face with Tony.

”It's not me”, Tony said. ”It's you.”

”What?”

”You're the problem.”

He should shut up. Steve was already on the edge and Tony was quickly pushing him over it. Steve crossed his arms over his chest, glared at Tony. A fight would break out any second. The others watched them, prepared to move away. Tony wanted to run away as well.

”You don't know who you are.”

”I'm Captain America.”

Tony leaned closer, stood up on his toes and was definately way to close to Steve's comfort zone.

”Captain America is just a persona. But who...” Tony put his drink down, poked Steve's chest and Steve took a step back. ”...who is Steve Rogers. Who are you under all of that.”

”How drunk are you?”

_Only drunk on loving you_ , Tony almost said but managed to bit it back because Steve didn't like his flirty playboy-persona. He gestured at Steve instead.

”I know all about personas. It's my living. But you...”

He stepped closer again. The others disappeared, off to their own floors. Tony couldn't care less.

” _You have forgotten who you are._ ”

Steve's eyes narrowed, stared him down. A shiver ran along his spine, but he was too far gone. He was in Steve's face again, looked in his eyes. They were furious, but there was something behind it, something neither he nor Steve could identify right now. He backed away.

”Who is Steve Rogers?” Tony muttered, his gaze wandering over Steve.

Steve glared, turned back to the stove. Tony smiled, his eyes sad. He patted Steve's shoulder.

”We'll help you figure it out.”

He left, took the elevator down to his workshop. Steve Rogers was an enigma, a riddle he couldn't wait to solve. A riddle Steve Rogers himself needed help with. And Tony would help.


End file.
